Man Critical After One Punch Attack In Newcastle

BY IAN CROUCH

A 45-year-old man remains in a critical but stable condition in the John Hunter Hospital after a one-punch attack in Newcastle.

Police say the victim became involved in an altercation with another man outside a the Queens Wharf Hotel on Wharf Road just before 6.30pm on Sunday.

He was allegedly punched once in the face, hitting his head on concrete and losing consciousness as he fell to the ground.

The man was taken to John Hunter Hospital, where he underwent surgery.

A 43-year-old man was arrested nearby and taken to Newcastle Police Station.

He was charged with reckless grievous bodily harm, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The man was granted conditional bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 1 February 2018.

Chief Inspector Trevor Shields said police are investigating the possibility the man charged over the assault continued the attack even after the victim fell.

"We believe the assault did continue after the man had gone to the ground,. Emergency services were called and the man was conveyed to the John Hunter Hospital where he is in a serious condition."

Investigators continue with their inquiries into the incident and have urged anyone with information to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Traffic to Keep on Flowing Ahead of the Inaugural Newcastle 500 this Weekend

BY JESSICA ROUSE

With just four days to go until the Newcastle 500, the roads which make up the street circuit are now one way in the race direction.

Team trucks and equipment will start rolling into the CBD from Wednesday to set up ahead of the first practice races on Friday.

Event Manager Kurt Sakzewski said it's important to know where you can and can't drive in the city - among the road changes is Shortland Esplanade which is now re-open in one direction heading east.

"The best way for people coming in the East End is they can come in via King Street if they're going to come into the external parts, anything east of Watt Street, Pacific Street, Scott Street things like that and then as they come back out they'll exit out through Scott Street and then head up either Bolton Street or Wolf Street to get back through the city there," said Kurt.

From Friday (24th November) to Sunday (26th November) the circuit will close off to traffic at 7am in the morning until 7pm at night.

"Anyone who has a car inside we recommend before 6:30, maybe even 6am make your way out to make sure you're outside of the gates because once we hit 7am those gates will be closed off at the exit at Scott Street so it's best that everyone get out,"

"In the afternoons we are saying that by 7pm we will have the gates open again at King Street so people can come back in, whether they live on the circuit or inside the circuit," said Kurt.

Outside of those times pedestrian access to homes, etc. shouldn't be a problem.

For a full list of traffic conditions which can be subject to change head to: http://www.supercars.com/newcastle/community/changed-traffic-conditions/

More Track Work Starts Ahead Of Newcastle 500

BY IAN CROUCH

Night time road works are getting under way on Wharf Road, Newcastle as part of preparations for the V8 Supercars race in November.

Work will be carried out on the street circuit from 5pm until 7am on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night into early Saturday morning.

Wharf Road will be closed to traffic while the work is carried out.

Lots of construction could mean lots of disruption

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The next six months will prove pivotal in Newcastle's infrastructure works with construction not only starting on the race track for the Newcastle 500 on Wharf Road, but work on Bathers Way is still ongoing.

The main focus of construction on Wharf Road from today is work on what will be the pits. For the next six months the major works will be disruptive to residents, but after this year it will take only a few weeks to set up the event instead of months of preparation for the track this year.

Major construction work is still underway on the Shortland Esplanade as part of the Bathers Way project in a bid to revitalise the section of coastline, and will see more pedestrian access, the installation of new street lighting, reconstruction fo the retaining wall on the corner of Watt and Church Street, and two-way traffic returned to the section between Watt and Ocean Streets.

Lord Mayor of Newcastle Nuatali Nelmes says the works will be completed by November just when thousands of visitors descend on the city for the race.

"It is a big undertaking in the next six months and there will be disruptions and at the same time we're also still delivering really important components of the Bathers Way that actually doesn't have anything to do with Supercars but it's the time that we're delivering."

With two major projects underway at the same time, there is sure to be some form of disruption, and council say residents have all been given a significant amount of notification and also detailed maps of the changes in and around their streets for both supercars work and council's work in the city.

"Supercars are starting their works projects six months out and it's a pretty tight time frame to deliver not only the work they need to do for Supercars, but we've been quite opportunistic and making sure we're delivering a lot of renewal projects and upgrades to other services and infrastructure in the city at the same time so it is a big undertaking into the next six months and there will be disruptions," said Nuatali Nelmes. 

"Every other year, once this work is done there, will be much shorter few weeks of bump in and bump out for the event. So the disruption, and I've said this since we announced that we were bringing supercars to Newcastle, the majority of the disruption will be this year."